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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stock — goods
  3. cap — a lid
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. swing — to play on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rash — a series
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stock — shares
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stem — to come from
  19. swing — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com